Stress relaxation of La1/2Sr1/2MnO3 and La2/3Ca1/3MnO3 at solid oxide fuel cell interfaces

Abstract: Interfacial stress is thought to have significant effects on electrical and oxygen transport properties in thin films of importance in solid oxide fuel cell applications. We investigate how in-plane biaxial stress modifies the electronic structure of La2/3Ca1/3MnO3 and La1/2Sr1/2MnO3 thin films prepared by pulsed laser deposition on three different substrates to vary the in-plane stress from tensile to compressive. The electronic structure was probed by X-ray absorption spectroscopy of the Mn L2,3-edge to characterize the interfacial disruption in this region in an element-specific, site-specific manner. The compressive or tensile interfacial strain modifies the relative concentrations of La and Sr in the interfacial region in order to achieve a better lattice match to the contact material. This atomic migration generates an interfacial region dominated by a compound with a single valency for the transition metal ion, resulting in a severe barrier to oxygen and electron transport through this region. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]